Leader



Au 17, 1937. A. w, QARSE 2,090,478 LEAbER I Filed April 10, 1936WITNESSES INVENTOR jZZfneaZ WJiZense ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 17, 1937 AT'r LEADER Alfred W. Harse, Bellmor administratrix of said ceased e, N.Y.; Marie T. Harse Alfred W. Harse, de-

Application April 10, 1936, Serial No. 73,729

3 Claims.

This invention relates to leaders, an oblect of the invention being toprovide a leader or analogous device which will permit of expansion andcontraction thereof.

5 It is a well-known fact that in cold weather iceforms in leaders andthe expansion within the leader causes the leader to burst, and it is abroad object of my invention to so construct the leader as to permit ofthe expansion of the 10 leader when ice forms therein and as the icemelts in the leader the latter will return to its normal size and shape.

Specifically, the invention includes a leader which is preferably,although not necessarily,

15 of general oblong shape in cross section with a gap in the back wallof the leader and an inter nal expansible member bridging said gap andsprings connecting the sections of the back of the leader so that theleader is capable of re- 20 peated expansion and contraction withoutinjury. Furthermore, the expansible member and springs are at the backof the leader so that they are not seen and the leader has the ordinaryappearance when in use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described and pointedout in the claims.

30 In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective Viewillustrating my improved leader;

Fig. 2 is a View in transverse section through the leader;

35 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section on the line 33of Fig. 2.

My improved leader indicated generally by the reference character A, isformed from a single sheet of proper metal and as illustrated in the 40drawing is preferably, although not essentially, of general oblong shapein cross section. A gap illustrated generally by the reference characterI, is provided in the back of the leader and an internal expansiblemember 2 connects the sec- 45 tions of the back and coil springs 3extend across the back and connect the sections at suitable intervals.

The specific construction illustrated may be defined as follows: Asingle piece of metal is bent 50 to form the front wall 4, side walls 5,and back sections 6, and is then bent upon itself flat against the innerfaces of the sections 6, as shown at 1, and the extremities of the sheetare then bent at an angle and extended toward each other and 55connected by a proper seam 8, thus providing an expansible member orbridge piece which is bowed, arched, or otherwise shaped in transversesection and extends inwardly of the leader. The back sections 6 and theportions 7 are perforated at suitable intervals, as shown at 9, toreceive the 5 hook ends l of the coil springs 3.

In operation when ice forms within the leader the expansible member 2 isforced rearwardly, that is, it is expanded transversely causing the backsections '5 and the sides of the leader to 10 bow outwardly against theresistance of the coil springs 3, so that the expansion of the icewithin the leader will not burst the same but is accommodated by theexpansion of the leader. As the ice melts in the leader the coil springs3 draw the sections 6 toward each other and contract the leader to itsnormal shape and size. This expansion and contraction can be repeatedindefinitely without damaging the leader and without permanentlychanging its shape.

While I have illustrated what I believe to be a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, it is obvious that various changes might be made in thegeneral form and arrangement of parts without departing from myinvention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details setforth but consider myself at liberty to make such changes andalterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a leader having a gap in its wall,an internal expansible member bridging the gap, said expansible membercurved in cross section and of greater width than the gap, and springsextending across the gap connecting the sections of the leader.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a leader having a gap in its backwall, an expansible member integral with the leader, curved in crosssection, and located within the leader and bridging the gap between thesections of the leader, and coil springs extending across the gap andconnected to the sections.

3. A leader composed of a single piece of metal bent to form flat sidesand back sections spaced apart with a gap between them, the said sheetthen bent flat against the inner faces of the sections and then archedor bowed inwardly and seamed together forming a curved expansiblemember, said back sections having openings therein, and coil springsextending across the gap and having their ends located in said openings.

ALFRED W. HARSE.

